Splitting machine



12, 1941- F. KENNISON ETAL 2,251,941

SPLITTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 1, 1940 k\\ QQK fill/4Aug. 12, 1941. F. KENNISON ETAL.

SPLITTING MACHINE 2 sheets sheet 2 Filed Aug. 1, '1940 Mira 1 ma i%Patented Aug. 12, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPLITTING MACHINE ofNew Jersey Application August 1, 1949, Serial No. 349,372

Claims.

This illustration relates to splitting machines and is illustrated asembodied in a machine for splitting heel-breast covering flaps fromsoles of shoes.

It has been proposed to prefinish soles prior to their attachment toshoes, the sole, for example, being conveniently rough-rounded,shank-reduced, and edge-set, and in the case of compo work, roughed upat its flesh side by the use of a machine disclosed in United StatesLetters Patent No. 2,078,981, granted May 4, 1937, and No. 2,081,961granted June 1, 1937, on applications filed in the name of Ernest W.Stacey. It has been found that when a prefinished sole is split by anEmpire splitting machine of the well-known type, which will hereinafterbe referred to as the regular machine, and which comprises a yieldablework support or bed having throughout its extent sharp upstanding prongsupon which the sole is impaled during the splitting operation, thepenetration of the sole by the prongs is likely to mar the appearance ofits finished marginal portions, Moreover, when the shank portions of thesoles, in the case of compo work, are reduced by exceptionally widebeveling cuts, the thin lateral'margins of said shank portions are notas effectively supported as desirable throughout their entire areasagainst the action of a drag bar of the regular machine which acts uponthe grain side of the sole in advance of a splitting knife and by itsposition with relation to the knife determines the thickness of thesole, with the result that the marginal edges of the flap are not splitto uniform thickness. In some cases it is the practice to apply cementor other suitable adhesive to the roughedup margins of the sole, withthe result that the margins of the shank portion of the sole are curledslightly toward the fiesh side of the sole and must be straightened outeffectively by being supported by a continuous surface in order that thelateral edges of the flap split from the sole shall be of uniformthickness.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved machineof the above-men'- tioned type to quickly and effectively splitheelbreast covering flaps from prefinished soles of difierent sizes andshapes without danger of spoiling the p-refinished margins of saidsoles.

With the above object in view and in accordance with a feature of thepresent invention, there are provided a yieldable bed comprising a blockhaving rigid prongs for supporting the median part of the heel endportion of a sole, a pair of conformable pads for supporting theremaining heel end portion of the sole, a knife for splitting aheel-breast covering flap from the sole, a presser member constructedand arranged to act upon the sole in advance of the knife and by itsposition with respect to the knife to determine the thickness of theflap produced by the action of the knife, and means for effectingrelative translatory movement between the bed on the one hand and theknife and the presser member on the other hand to produce said flap.

During the flap splitting operation, the median part of the heel endportion of the sole is forced against the prongs of the block, therebyeffectively insuring against slippage of the sole on the work bed, theremaining heel end portion of the sole being forced with considerablepressure against and into the conformable pads, which are preferablymade of rubber. By providing the bed of the machine with conformablerubber pads, the entire lateral margins of the heel end portions ofsoles of different sizes and shapes are supported throughout theirextent to their extreme marginal edges against the action of the pressermember, which has the form of a drag bar, during the flap splittingoperation. When the lateral margins of the heel end portion of the soleare supported throughout their entire extents by the rubber pads duringthe flap splitting operation, there is no danger of piercing them andthusspoiling their appearance.

The various features of the invention will be understood and appreciatedfrom the following detailed description read in connection with theaccompanying, drawings, in which,

Fig, 1 is a perspective view, partly in section and partly broken away,of an illustrative flap splitting machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, partly broken away,

on line IIII of Fig. ,1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, partly broken away, on line III-III of Fig.1, during a portion of the flap splitting operation;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the work bed of the illustrative machine;- a nFig. 5 is a section on line 1IIIII of Fig. 1 showing a portion of thework bed of the machine when said machine is idle;

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views, partly broken away, corresponding toFig. 5 but showing modified types of work beds;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a sole which has been operated upon bythe machine disclosed in said Letters Patent No, 2,081,961;

Fig, 9 is a perspective view of the sole of Fig. 8

I after a flap has been split therefrom by the illus- 1 trative machine;and

Fig. is a side elevation, partly broken away,

of the sole shown in Fig. 9.

The illustrative machine, with the exception of a work bed 28, issubstantially identical with the machine disclosed in Letters Patent No.1,224,918,

the name of Frederick M. Furber, and comprises a reciprocatory carrier22 which is mounted on ways 24 of the frame of the machine and to whicha knife 26 is adjustably secured by screwand-slot connections 28.Fitting in alined bores 39 (Fig. 3) of the carrier 22 are trunnions 32of a matrix or drag bar 34, which may be referred to as a presser memberand which is constructed and arranged to act upon the grain side of asole 36 in advance of the knife 26 during the forward reciprocation ofthe carrier over the Work bed 28, and by its position with respect tothe bed and the knife to determine the thickness of a flap 38 (Figs. 9and 10) split from the sole by the knife during its forward movement.The carrier 22 and the mechanism for operating the same are'fullydescribed in said Letters Patent No. 1,224,918, which should be referredto for a detailed description of said machine.

Although the invention is described with reference to the machinedisclosed in said Letters Patent No. 1,224,918, it will be appreciatedthat the illustrative work bed 28 may be effectively used in connectionwith machines such as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No.1,992,- 952, granted March 5, 1935, on an application filed in the nameof Charles Edward Johnson, and also in connection with machines such asdisclosed in United States Letters 'Patent No. 2,118,825, granted May31, 1938, on an application filed in the name of Thomas H. Seely, whichmachines are adapted to split from soles heelbreast covering flaps whichare reinforced at their central or central base portions in order tostrengthen the flaps at the localities desired.

The illustrative sole 38; shown in Fig. '8, has already been operatedupon in the-machine disclosed'in said Letters Patent No. 2,081,961, theshank portions, as well as the foreparts, of the soles having beenrough-rounded and edge-set to their final shapes and the shank portionsof the soles having been reduced by exceptionally wide beveling cuts,the margin of the flesh side of the sole, in the case of soles for usein connec-, tion with compo work, having beenroughed up. As abovestated, it is sometimesthe practice to apply cement to the roughed upmargin of the sole prior to splitting the fiap fromthe same.

As disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,224,918, the work bed28 comprises a U- shaped frame 48 having in each of its twodependingflanges three slots 42 for receiving rollers 44, respectively, pivotedupon the ends of rods 45 secured to a sunportj48 which rests upon fouror more springs 58 (Fig. 3, only two shown) and which, when themachineis idle, is forced by the springs againstthe heads of two or morestop screws .52 threaded into the base of the machine frame. The slots42 are parallelto each other, the arrangement being such that when theU-shaped frame 40 is moved forwardly or rearwardly, that is, in thegeneral direction of movement of the carrier 22 over the work bed 28,the frame will be raised or lowered according to the direction of suchmovement. When the machine is at rest, the U-shaped frame 48, andtherefore the work bed 28. is held in its lowered position by a coilspring 54 (Fig. 2) encircling a rod 58 the forward end of which issecured to the support 48 and the rear end of which passes through arecess 58 in a block 68 secured to the under side of the U-shaped frame48, the rod 56 having a stop nut 62 threaded onto its rear end.

The carrier 22 is reciprocated along the ways 24 through a connectingrod 64 (Figs. 1 and 2) the forward end of which is pivoted upon afulcrum pin 66 mounted upon the carrier and the rear end of which ispivoted upon a bushing 68 (Fig. 1) mounted upon a threaded bolt H1. Thebolt 10 may be secured to a rotatable operating plate 12 with its headarranged in different adjusted positions along an arcuate slot F4 formedin said plate, through the provision of a nut 15 threaded onto the upperend of the bolt. The slot 14 is centered about the axis of rotation 18of the operating plate 12 and, accordingly, the carrier 22 is alwaysmoved in a path of fixed extent. It will be noted, however, that thestarting position of the carrier may be varied in accordance with theadjustment of the bolt 18 along the slot 14, but that the carrier isalways moved forwardly to the same position.

In order that the work bed 28 may be moved to a raised position at a.predetermined time during the forward stroke of the carrier 22,preparatory to splitting the sole, said bed carries a pin 78 (Fig. 2)upon which is mounted a roll 88 shaped and arranged to be contacted byan actuating cam 82 during a portion of the cycle of operation of themachine. The actuating cam 82 may be moved about the axis of rotation itof the plate 12 into different adjusted positions upon the operatingplate 12, as will appear later, through the provision of theabove-described connections. When the actuating cam 82 has been properlyadjusted upon the plate 12, the nut 15 is tightened to secure the cam tothe plate. The forward portion 84 of the outer face 86 of the actuatingcam '82 is beveled, the remaining outer face of the cam having the formof a segment of a circle centered about the axis of rotation I6 of theplatel'Z and the cam. When the sole is placed upon the work bed 28 andthe plate 12 revolves, together with the actuating cam 82, the cam, bycontacting the roll 88 (Fig. 2), moves the U-shaped frame 49 forwardly,thereby raising it and holding it in a raised position until the knife28, which moves forwardly with the carrier 22, has completed theformation of the flap 38. After the flap 38 has been formed and justbefore the carrier 22 begins its retractive or rearward movement, theroll 88 runs .off the trailing end of the face 86 of the actuating cam82 and the spring'54 moves the U-shaped frame 40 of the work bed 28 toits lowered position, thereby insuring that the drag bar 34 shall notrub heavily on thefiap during the retractive movement of the carrier. II

In order that the extreme base portion 88 (Fig. 10) of the flap 38 shallbe split thicker than the remaining portion of the flap, the drag bar 34is rotated slightly at the extreme forward end of the stroke of thecarrier through mechanism Which will now be described. Threaded into thedrag bar 34 (Figs. -1 and 2) is a screw 98 upon which is mounted a roll92 (Fig. 2'), which, when the machine is idle, is held in engagementwith a stop screw 94 by a spring 98. The connecting rod 64 has a forwardextension 98, the opposite sides of which are channeled for thereception of a bracket lllfl'having an arcuate cam track I 02, thebracket being clamped in a predetermined position to the extension 98 ofthe connecting rod 64 by screws I64 (only one shown) threaded into thebracket and having their inner ends forced against said extension.Threaded into the forward end of the bracket I is another screw I06which may be turned to facilitate the proper adjustment of the bracketI00 upon the extension 98 of the connecting rod 64. The major portion ofthe cam track I02 is centered about the axis of the pin 66 so thatduring the time the roll 82 is in contact with said track, the screw 90,and consequently the drag bar 34, maintains the same angular position. Acentral portion of the roll engaging face of the track I02 is recessed,the arrangement being such that when the roll 02 encounters saidrecessed portion near the forward end of the stroke of the carrier 22,the drag bar 34 swings slightly in a clockwise direction, as viewed inFigs. 1 and 2, thereby permitting the springs 50 to raise the work bed,and with it the sole, so as to cause the knife 26 to cut deeper into thesole and thus to form the thickened base portion 88 of the flap. Thespring 90 is not strong enough to prevent clockwise movement of the dragbar 34 due to the pull of the drag bar on the sole, the clockwisemovement being limited by the engagement of the roll 02 with the trackI02.

The work bed 20 also comprises a central block IIO having prongs orteeth II 2, sharp edges of which are arranged approximately in a plane,and a pair of rubber pads I I4 (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5) which are arrangedat the opposite sides of the block and, when the machine is idle, havetheir work engaging faces I I3 (Figs. 1 and 5) arranged above orextending beyond the plane of the sharp edges of the prongs H2. Theblock III] is rigidly secured by screws H6 (Figs. 3 and 5) to theU-shaped frame 40, and the pads II4 are impaled upon prongs II I securedto said frame, the end and the outer side margins of the pads I I4 beingsecured to the frame by plates H8 and I20, respectively, screwed to theU- shaped frame 40.

The rubber pads II4 are sufficiently resilient to insure that the soles36 shall be forced into the pad and be properly supported against actionof the drag bar 34 and the knife 25, irrespective of the size or theshape of the sole. It will be appreciated that in order that theconformable pads II4 shall be compressed sufficiently to support thesole firmly, it is desirable that the flat work engaging surfaces H3 ofsuch pads shall extend slightly above the general plane of the sharpedges of the prongs II2, as shown in Fig. 5, when the machine is idle.On the other hand, in order to insure that the sole shall be positivelygripped on the work bed 20 during the splitting operation, it isdesirable that the median portion of the sole shall be effectivelyimpaled upon the prongs II2 of the block H0. Accordingly, in order tofacilitate the flow of the portion of the rubber pad II4 adjacent to theblock I I0 so that said pad II4 may readily accommodate different sizesof soles, and to insure that the inner margins of the pads shall beproperly impaled upon the prongs II2, the upper surface of the U- shapedframe 40 is provided with slight recesses or depressions I22 (Fig. 5),the inner margins of the pads forming with the depressions a pair ofsmall pockets I24. It will be noted that the width of the depressionsI22 increases slightly, as illustrated in Fig. 4, as they extend fromthe front to the back of the machine, the width'of said depressionsreaching a maximum at points I 26, as shown in Fig. 4. It will beappreciated that, if desirable, the depressions I22 may be of uniformwidth throughout their length, or may be entirely eliminated, in whichcase the inner margins of modified pads I28 may be slightly undercut, asshown in Fig. 6, or the inner margins of a modified pad I30 may behoneycombed or otherwise pocketed, as shown in Fig. 7. From theforegoing it will be clear that the inner marginal portions of the padslocated adjacent to the block are adapted to flow more readily underpressure of the work piece than the outer marginal portions of the pads.

Although the illustrative machine has been described with reference tosplitting flaps from soles which have been operated upon by the machinedisclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,078,981, it will beclear that the illustrative machine may be used for splitting flaps fromall types of soles.

After the actuating cam 82 has been initially adjusted upon the plateI2, the sole is placed upon the work bed 20 in its desired position anda treadle rod (not shown) is depressed causing the operating plate 12,together with the cam 82, to make a revolution. As the knife 26 and thedrag bar 34 move forwardly, the work bed 20 is raised and held raiseduntil the completion of the forward movement of the carrier 22, at whichtime the spring 54 lowers the work bed and holds it lowered while thecarrier moves back to its retracted position. When the carrier 22 ismoved forwardly over the work bed 20, as above described, the bar 34causes the median portion of the sole to be impaled upon the prongs II2of the block H0 and progressively forces the entire lateral margins ofthe sole against the pads II4 which effectively support the solethroughout the flap: splitting operation without any danger of marringsaid lateral margins.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A splitting machine having, in combination, a yieldable bedcomprising a block having rigid prongs for supporting the median part ofthe heel end portion of a sole, said bed also comprising a pair ofconformable pads for supporting the remaining parts of the heel endportion of the sole, a knife for splitting a heel-breast covering flapfrom the sole, a presser member constructed and arranged to act upon thesurface of the sole in advance of the knife and by its position withrespect to the knife to determine the thickness of the flap produced bythe action of said knife, and means for effecting relative translatorymovement between the bed on the one hand and the knife and the pressermember on the other hand to produce said flap.

2. A splitting machine having in combination a yieldable bed forsupporting a sole, said bed comprising a rigid central portion having aplurality of sharp prongs constructed and arranged to be engaged by themedian part of the heel end portion of the sole, said bed alsocomprising conformable pads which are located at opposite sidesrespectively of said rigid central portion and are constructed andarranged to be engaged by the lateral margins of the heel end portion ofthe sole, a carrier, a knife and a presser member mounted upon thecarrier, and means for moving the carrier over the bed to cause saidknife to split a heel-breast covering flap from the sole as it isprogressively forced against the bed by the pressermember. I w

i 3. A splitting machine having, in combination, a yieldable bed forsupporting a sole,a carrier, a knife and a drag bar mounted upon thecarrier, and means for effecting relative translatory movement of thebed and the carrier to cause the sole to be progressively conformed tothe drag bar and to be split by the knife, said-bed comprising a blockhaving sharp rigid prongs constructed and arranged to be engaged by themedian part'of the heel end portion of the sole, and a pair of readilyconformable pads which are arranged at the opposite sides respectively 1of the block and which areconstructed and ar- 1 ranged to be engaged bythe remaining heel end 1 portions of the heeland when extend beyond theprongs.

the machine is idle 4. A splitting machine having, in combination, ayieldable bed comprising a block having rigid prongs for supportingthe-median part of the 1 heel end portion of a sole, and conformablepads ;normally projecting beyond said rigid prongs and arranged. atopposite sides respectively'of l the prongs for supporting the lateralmargins of the heel end portion of'the'sole; a carrier, a

knife and a drag bar mounted upon the carrier,

and means for moving the carrier over the sole supported on said bed tocause the barto force the sole progressively against the work bed and tocause the knife to split a flap from the sole pressed between the barandthe bed. A

5. A splitting machine having, in combination, a yieldingly supportedframe, a knife, a presser bar, a block secured to the frame and havingprongs constructed and arranged to be engaged by the median part of theheel end portion of a sole, and a pair of conformable pads'secured tosaid frame at opposite sides respectively of said block and constructedand arranged to be engaged by the remaining parts-of the heel endportion of the sole, said frame having adjacent to the opposite sides ofthe blockshallow depressions the bottoms of which when the machine isidle are spaced from the opposing portions of the conformable pads, andmeans for-moving the knife and the presser member over said bed causingthe sole tobe progressively forced against the pads and the prongs ofsaid blockto conform the sole to a predetermined shape and causing theknife to split a flap from the sole.

6. A splitting machine having, in combination, a sole supporting bedcomprising a yieldable frame, a rigid block secured to the frame andhaving prongs which are constructedand arranged to be engaged by themedian part of the heel end portion of a scleand which have sharp endsarranged approximately in a plane, a pair of rubber pads which aresecured to said frame and are arranged at opposite sides respectively ofthe block wit-htheir inner marginal portions,

a presser member constructed-and arranged to cooperate with said bedto-split a flap from the sole.

'7. A splitting machine having, in combination, a yieldable work supportcomprising a rigid block having sharp prongs and comprising a pair ofconformable pads arranged at opposite sides respectively of said block,a knife, a presser member, and means for effecting relative movement ofthe work support on the one hand the knife and the presser member on theother hand to cause a work piece upon the support to be progressivelyconformed to the shape determined by the presser member and to cause aflap to be formed on the conformed work piece by the knife, portions ofthe pads which are located adjacent to the block being adapted to flowmore readily under pressure of the work piece than other portions of thepads which are spaced considerable distances from said block.

8. A splitting machine having, in combination, a yieldable work supportcomprising a rigid block having sharp prongs and a pair of rubber padsarranged at opposite sides respectively of said block, a knife forsplitting a flap from 'a sole mounted upon said work support, and apresser bar constructed and arranged to act upon the face of the sole inadvance of the knife and by its position with relation to the knife todetermine the thickness of the flap split from the sole by the knife,portions of the pads which are located adjacent to the block being morereadily yieldable under pressure of the sole than are other portions ofthe pads which are spaced considerable distances from the block.

9. A splitting machine having, in combination, a, supporting bedcomprising a yieldable frame, a rigid block secured to the frame andhaving prongs which are constructed and arranged to be engaged by themedian part of the heel end portion of a sole, and a pair of rubber padswhich are secured to the frame and are arranged at the opposite sidesrespectively of the block, a presser bar, a knife, means for effectingrelative translatory movement of the bed on the one hand and the presserbar and the knife on the other hand to split a heel-breast covering flapfrom the sole, inner portions of the rubber pads located adjacent to theblock being spaced from the block and from the support while outerportions of the pads located considerable distances from the block aresecured to the block thereby rendering the inner portions of the padsmore readily yieldable than the outer portions of the pads under theaction of the sole.

10. A splitting machine having, in combination, a yielda'ble bedcomprising a rigid block having sharp prongs and a pair of rubber padswhich are arranged at opposite sides respectively of the block, a knife,a presser member, and means for moving the knife and the presser memberover the bed to split a flap from a sole mounted upon said bed, theinner portions of the pads being spaced from the frame and being free toyield toward the block under pressure of the sole so as to insure thatthe rubber pads may readily flow to accommodate soles of different sizesand shapes during the splitting operation.

FRANK KENNISON. HARRY L. BELL.

